Stuyvesant Town, large brick buildings that run from 14th to 20th Streets, from First Avenue to Avenue C, are a mess of functional residences that were originally built in 1943 to house returning veterans of the Second World War and their families. They have gone on to house middle-income New Yorkers in 8,757 apartments. Stuyvesant Town and its sibling Peter Cooper comprise eighty acres that house more than 25,000 residents--and were sold on October 18, 2006 to Tishman Speyer for $5.4 billion dollars. New Yorkers are aghast that one of the last bastions of affordable housing will soon be converted to yet more luxury rentals. One might read a brief history of Stuyvesant Town on Wikipedia and note that in its creation in 1943, the project displaced 11,000 residents along with their business, schools and churches.

The Meatpacking District

The Meatpacking District is a small area on the west side of Manhattan that runs from the Hudson River to 11th Avenue and includes West 13th, 14th, and 15th Streets; Little West 12th; and Gansevoort--all now a-glitter in fashionable shops and cafés, including Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. The area is known for restaurants as well: Florent, the neighborhood’s first love is now replaced by many larger establishments -- Buddakan, Del Posto, Pastis, and Frank’s. The Gansevoort is the chic hotel in the neighborhood--a lovely contrast, or complement to, a rowdy evening of shots and beers at Hogs & Heifers.